Battle Hall
Also known as: Old Barker History Center
Why it's listed
Battle Hall, once known as the Old Library and later the Barker History Center, is a two-story building of smooth cream-colored limestone on the South Mall of the University of Texas at Austin. The Regents appropriated $211,000 for a library in December 1909 and hired New York architect Cass Gilbert, who finished the work by 1911. Its design draws on Spanish and Mediterranean Renaissance sources, with a red tile roof, wide projecting eaves, deep-set openings with iron grills, and seven large arched second-story windows framed in polychrome terracotta. Terracotta medallions show zodiac signs, and a marble staircase with ornamental iron balustrades rises to a beamed reading room. The nomination describes it as one of the best buildings on the campus. In 1946 the Regents named it for historian Eugene C. Barker and moved the university's Texas and Southwest materials there; it was dedicated as the Center in 1950. A later request changed its common name to Battle Hall.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as one of the best buildings on the campus and a fine example of Mediterranean Renaissance design by the noted architect Cass Gilbert. It is listed for architecture and education. It also housed the university's Texas history collections after 1946.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 70000763, listed August 25, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | South Mall, University of Texas campus, Austin |
|---|---|
| County | Travis County |
| Listed | August 25, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000763 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910-1911 |
| Architect / builder | Cass Gilbert of New York City |
| Architectural style | Mediterranean Renaissance |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, altered, on its original site, and occupied for educational use. The form lists no current-use details beyond that. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 30.28560, -97.74051 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 70000763.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4870050
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.